BBC: Going undercover to infiltrate Chinese-American far-right networks

[DBoon]

During the pandemic, an unlikely alliance has emerged between the Chinese-speaking diaspora and American conservatives, as Washington and Beijing clash over the origins of Covid-19.

For strident opponents of Beijing, blaming China for not containing the virus within its borders is another opportunity to condemn the Chinese government.

For the American right, on the other hand, blaming China for the pandemic shifts focus from criticism of the Trump administration's response and plays into the increasingly negative public opinion of China.

The collaboration between former Trump adviser Steve Bannon and Chinese exiled businessman Guo Wengui is a case in point. The duo has been involved in a sprawling digital network that disseminates misinformation about election frauds, coronavirus vaccines and QAnon narratives on multiple social media platforms.

Chinese immigrants often consume news bypassing traditional media gatekeepers, according to non-profit organisation First Draft.

Due to language barriers and news habits, many in the Chinese diaspora tend to read news in closed or semi-closed social media spaces. As there is already an existing trust among participants, the subscribers treat the information with less scrutiny, giving rise to "misinformation echo chambers".

https://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-57587364

[abqtommy]

1. And besides being scary, that means that Fascists who attack Asians just may be attacking

their own. What a world we live in!